This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program Registration Number 226 195 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on May 4, 1989.
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,091,352; 2,816,193; 3,833,874; and 3,916,363 the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse fuse holder devices which are adapted to function as a protective casing for a fuse.
While the prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they were specially designed, they do suffer from a number of shared deficiencies.
For instance, most of the prior art constructions take up more space than needed This deficiency makes the protection of some fuses using the prior art construction a physical impossibility due to the amount of space available for the fuse. These types of fuses in particular have an even greater need for a fuse holder due to the difficulty in servicing them and the increased danger of accidentally touching one of the contacts.
In addition, another common deficiency in the prior art constructions is the difficulty that is encountered when trying to test the fuse.
There is also a need for a fuse holder that will allow the testing of the fuse without the necessity of removing the fuse from the fuse box.
It should also be noted that virtually all of the prior art constructions are cumbersome and complicated to use. These twin deficiencies can lead to unnecessary danger for the inexperienced electrical worker and wasted time for the more experienced ones. Obviously the less time spent installing or removing a fuse substantially reduces the chance of injury to the installer.
As a consequence of the foregoing situation there has existed a longstanding need for a fuse holder device which incorporates the features of easy operation, compactness, and safety and the development of such a device is the stated purpose and objective of the present invention.